


you and me got plenty of time

by geekintheblack



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Cat Grant Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, F/F, Identity Reveal, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-17 23:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15472644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekintheblack/pseuds/geekintheblack
Summary: Once her feet are firmly on the ground, though Supergirl still has an arm around her back, Cat looks around the tiny balcony and frowns.“Interesting choice of neighborhood for a safe house,” she comments casually.-A terrorist attack leads to some overdue revelations.





	you and me got plenty of time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [redfield5x5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/redfield5x5/gifts).



> I made a bunch of bullet points and carefully outlined how this was going to go... then I wrote it completely differently from what I had planned. Still, I hope I managed to hit all the important points, and most importantly, I hope you enjoy it! I've never participated in an exchange like this so hopefully it's good!
> 
> Title is from Hold Me by Fleetwood Mac.

When the second explosion goes off, Supergirl’s arms around Cat are the only thing keeping her upright as the ground shakes violently. People all around are screaming and running for the exits, but what worries her most is that she can’t see Olivia anywhere. The Secret Service men that were accompanying the president are on the floor, unconscious (only, she hopes). As if sensing her worries, Supergirl whispers a reassurance.

 

“Don’t worry, my friend got President Marsdin to safety,” she says, and Cat breathes a sigh of relief. “We have to go now, it’s not safe for you here.”

 

She’s about to protest when another explosion rocks the stage again and Supergirl immediately takes off. Cat lets out an undignified squeak and presses herself impossibly closer to the superhero. From above, she can see the men in black Supergirl works with running around trying to get civilians to safety. 

 

Soon enough, they are far, far up and Cat can only make out the shapes of the streets and buildings of National City below her. Instead of relaxing, she only tenses up more the further away they are from the attack.

 

“Relax, I won’t let you fall,” her superhero whispers again, lips brushing against her ear.

 

She shivers instantly, hopes to pass it off as being cold. It should be cold up here, she knows, but she’s not feeling particularly tethered to her senses right now. Another attack, another close call, in a series of incidents that had begun a month ago. 

 

Anti-alien terrorism. Groups inspired by CADMUS had popped up all around the United States and the world, and now was the perfect opportunity to show their worth. The Alien Registry had been a milestone of alien rights, but in her last year of office, Olivia had grown bolder. The new proposed policies - of quotas, and inclusion goals within state departments, and species-specific laws and legal protections - had left every prejudiced human foaming at the mouth. This was their worst nightmare, a takeover, they called it. 

 

Cat hates to give them any credit, but they have been smart so far. Multiple incidents across the country kept Supergirl busy and unable to be at every official event. Attacks had seemed almost random as to when and where they happened, and as hard as Supergirl and local law enforcement tried, several innocent people had been hurt. But truthfully, she hadn’t expected them to try and strike today, in Supergirl’s own city.

 

After what feels like a strangely long flight, they slow down, and Cat wills herself to take a deep breath as Supergirl lowers them a bit too quickly. Once her feet are firmly on the ground, though Supergirl still has an arm around her back, Cat looks around the tiny balcony and frowns.

 

“Interesting choice of neighborhood for a safe house,” she comments casually.

 

“It’s not, ah, not a safe house. I mean, it’s very safe! Um, but it’s actually my apartment,” Supergirl says, uncharacteristically stumbling through her words as she steps back and unlocks the balcony door, motioning for Cat to come in.

 

With her back straight and head held high, Cat steps into the living room and looks around, taking in as much as she can whilst bravely attempting to ignore any framed photographs she spots.

 

“Well, this is quite cozy, Supergirl,” she says, gesturing vaguely. “You won’t tell me about your day job so I began to expect something a little more… cave-like, as your home.”

 

Supergirl must detect the teasing in her voice and huffs out a small laugh, rolling her eyes and earning an amused smile from Cat.

 

“Please, Miss Grant, I think we can drop this by now, yeah?”

 

“I’m not sure what-”

 

“You know who I am, Cat,” she interrupts her, eyes soft and accepting. Trusting.

 

She stays silent for a few long moments, staring at her former assistant in poorly hidden surprise. After so long, after so much effort to keep this secret a wall between them, it figures that Kara would decide to casually tear it down.

 

“I suppose I do, Kara,” she says, and they both stand almost frozen in place, staring at each other with soft smiles on their faces.  _ God, I must look like an idiot _ , Cat thinks.

 

Suddenly, Kara turns serious once again and looks out to the city. “I’ll be there in five.”

 

Cat frowns at the words before realizing she must be communicating with her secret government friends. “I assume you have to go?”

 

“Right, yes,” Kara says and looks around for a momexasperatedlyent before grabbing one of the odd, colorful sculptures from the bookshelf behind her and twisting its head several times. 

 

Immediately, part of the wall behind the bookshelf moves forward and then aside, revealing what looks like a large safe. Kara twists the wheel attached to it around with more force than Cat would expect to be necessary for her. She steps aside and motions for Cat to enter.

 

“No, I am absolutely not entering whatever dark, dusty hole in the wall you may call a panic room,” she balks loudly and Kara sighs.

 

“It’s not dark and dusty. Lena built it for me, look,” she points inside and Cat has to concede that it does look decent, and there are TV screens mounted up so at least she won’t be forced out of the loop. “It’s perfectly up to your minimum travel standards. Sorry I’m short on the whiskey though.”

 

Cat lets out a low growl at the fact that she’ll have to wait for another several hours for a glass of just-survived-terrorism alcohol, but she walks into the small room anyway. “We’ll have a talk later about how and why Lena Luthor is privy to your secret. Meanwhile,” she turns back and smirks to herself when she sees the superhero gulp, “you better be back soon and in one piece, because I will not spend the night here under any circumstances.”

 

Kara nods forcefully. “It won’t take long, I promise. Actually,” she turns the monitors on and grabs a headset from the shelf, offering it to Cat, who takes it gingerly with two fingers, “you’ll be able to watch news coverage on the screens and this headset will let you talk to me through my comms. So if anything’s wrong, just tap right here and call me.”

 

With that, the other woman seems more satisfied with her predicament and Kara steps out, closing the door behind her and the wall opening as well. Inside, Cat stares at the headset for a moment before shutting her eyes tightly and putting it on, giving a minuscule shiver at the thought of other people having used it before her. The TVs are already set to CatCo stations, so she settles on the mildly comfortable sofa and crosses her legs, tapping on the side of her headset distractedly.

 

“Do make sure you’re in full view of CatCo cameras, darling. You’re welcome to melt down the competition’s, though.”

 

_ “RAO!” comes Kara’s startled voice, “Miss Grant, this is meant for emergencies!” _

 

“I’m stuck in a room smaller than the private elevator back at CatCo, this  _ is _ an emergency.”

 

\---

 

“I own stock in that company, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t toss any other aliens through the building. Actually, what I really want to know is why an anti-alien terrorist organization has aliens working for them?”

 

_ “I- don’t- know- I’m a little- busy- right now!” _

 

\---

 

“This energy bar is the most disgusting thing that has ever touched my lips and yes I do realize it’s a loaded statement, and I mean it.”

 

_ “I don’t think you’ll want to know how many calories are in those.” _

 

\---

 

“So, Lena Luthor-”

 

_ “We are not- ugh,” the sound of an explosion interrupted her, “we are not having this conversation right now.” _

 

\---

 

At last, after nearly four hours, the news stations run out of fresh Supergirl footage to comment on. The attacks had stopped long ago, and Supergirl had been busy with a pile-up for the past hour or so. The headset has been abandoned for a half-hour at least, and Cat is frankly exhausted and ready to go home and wind down with a nice glass of wine, maybe call Carter if it isn’t too late. Finally, the door to the panic room opens and a haggard looking Kara steps in, tired smile in place.

 

“Hey, sorry it took so long.”

 

Cat rises from her seat as if she were welcoming Supergirl as a guest in her own home. “I need fresh air and alcohol, chop chop.”

 

Kara only smiles again and leads her out into the living room. “We managed to catch many of the ring leaders today, so things should be quiet for a while,” she says, walking to the kitchen counter, where she pours a drink, handing Cat a tumbler of whiskey. She hopes Alex won’t miss it too much. “I know it’s not your standard, but…”

 

“It’ll do.”

 

They sit together in silence as Cat sips on her drink and Kara fidgets with her cape.

 

“I can… take you back to DC once you’re finished. The president is already back there--”

 

“No.”

 

“No?”

 

Cat sets down her glass. “I’ll be staying a few days in National City.”

 

“Oh.”

 

A siren sounds in the distance, and Cat pretends not to see Kara clenching her fists as if forcing herself to stay put. She glances at the now empty glass and ponders when was the last time she’d participated in such an awkward interaction. She has a lot to say - oh, she definitely has many opinions to share about writing and journalism and how  _ you should not be using yourself as a source, Kiera _ , but the timing feels off.

 

“I’m glad,” says Kara, breaking her out of her thoughts. “That you’re staying for a while, I mean. I’ve... missed you.”

 

Physical affection, hell, most types of physical contact don’t come naturally to Cat. Her therapist has a lot to say about that. But she always makes the effort for her son, when he’s up for it, and it’s a bit alarming to realize how often she has made the effort for Kara in the past, sometimes almost unconsciously. Still, now, she reaches out and deliberately rests her hand on Kara’s knee, squeezing gently in reassurance.

 

“Tell anyone and you’ll regret ever being under this yellow sun, but I’ve missed you too. None of those interns back in Washington have superpowers. And,” she pauses, “none of them really care. Not like you.”

 

Kara smiles widely at that, and Cat can’t help but notice how close they are to each other. Is this couch shrinking, or are her inhibitions? 

 

“I don’t think you know how much you mean to me.”

 

She frowns, disappointed that Kara thinks she doesn’t realize the weight of her responsibility as a mentor and friend. “Of course I do-”

 

“Do you, Cat? Because I love you.”

 

_ Oh. _

 

It’s ridiculous, but she feels like her heart actually stops for a moment, actually skips a beat because surely she’s getting this all wrong. Surely- but deep down she knows. Because isn’t this exactly what she’s been running from all along? Isn’t this what she was scared of - the way Kara is looking at her, how intoxicating it feels as she comes closer.

 

“Tell me to stop.”

 

But she doesn’t, and their lips meet in a slow, sweet kiss. It’s a bit awkward, yes - and Kara’s face is  _ cold _ after flying around - but she runs her hand through blonde waves, brings it back and settles it onto a caped shoulder. Kara smiles into their kiss and Cat knows she’s doomed.

 

They can barely manage to separate from each other, resting their foreheads together, and Cat keeps her eyes closed shut. As if she could be any more of a cliché. But for Kara she’ll allow herself some measure of foolishness. A certain degree of genuine hope, of openness, that she has denied herself for years.

 

“I love you too, darling. I love you too.”


End file.
